This invention relates generally to an electric switch structure for use in a gas-fired appliance such as a cooking stove and the like. Particularly, the present invention is directed to a switch structure which can be adapted to present manually operated gas valves to provide electrical contact for an igniter when the gas valve is turned in one direction for turning on a gas burner, which switch structure further is constructed for preventing energization of the electric igniter when the gas valve is turned in the other direction for turning off or adjusting the level of the flame of the gas burner.
Electric igniters for gas-fired furnaces are well known in the art. However, gas-fired appliances such as gas stoves and the like presently usually require a continuously burning pilot light to ignite the combustible gas-air fuel mixture. Generally, this type of appliance utilizes manually operated gas valves which are connected to a gas supply line and wherein air is intermixed with natural gas at the outlet of the gas valve. The air-gas mixture is then delivered along a tube to the gas burner where it is ignited by the pilot light. This type of appliance continuously utilizes gas to maintain the pilot light so that considerable gas energy may be wasted.